Posts Tagged :

juggler

Comedian turned football manager 150 150 mhamer

Comedian turned football manager

Jimmy Cricket in the home team dressing room at Middlesbrough FCComedian Jimmy Cricket had a taste of what it might be like as the manager of a professional football club last week.

The famous Irish funnyman was at the Riverside Stadium, home of Championship side Middlesbrough FC, on Saturday (17 November).

Jimmy Cricket with Steve Burt, function manager at the Riverside

And he could not resist an invitation to visit the home club dressing room and work out some team tactics for the next match!

Jimmy was really at the Riverside Stadium to participate in the President’s Annual Dinner of the Middlesbrough Circle of Magicians.

This year’s President was Reg Heasley, who also hails from Northern Ireland. Reg wanted Jimmy to appear at his dinner and the event was a great occasion.

Jimmy Cricket with Cath and Lynn from the catering staff at Middlesbrough FC

While Jimmy was at the Riverside, he was invited to pop down to the home team’s dressing room by the stadium’s function manager, Steve Burt (above right).

Left, Jimmy is pictured with Cath (left) and Lynn, who are among the catering staff at the stadium.

Jimmy said: “I wish Middlesbrough FC the best of luck for the current season!”

Note from editor to Middlesbrough players and supporters: Don’t worry, Tony Mowbray is still your manager!

Teaching a fellow showbiz star to juggle 150 150 mhamer

Teaching a fellow showbiz star to juggle
Jimmy Cricket has been teaching Ray Quinn how to juggle

Jimmy Cricket has been teaching Ray Quinn how to juggle

Veteran Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket has been giving juggling lessons to actor, dancer and singer Ray Quinn.

The pair appeared in the pantomime Cinderella at the Darlington Civic Theatre which finished on Sunday 15 January.

Jimmy, who played Baron Hardup, said he enjoyed working with all the cast during the six-week showing of the panto.

“We got Cinderella to the ball!” laughed Jimmy this week.

“I have found a great friend in Ray Quinn and you can see me teaching him to juggle on YouTube.”

The juggling video can also be found on the homepage here on Jimmy’s website and on Ray’s own official site.

Jimmy added: “There must have been about 65 panto shows in all as there were often two a day. It was very intensive but thoroughly enjoyable.”

Ray Quinn, who was Prince Charming in the Darlington panto, is engaged to theatre star Emma Stephens who played Cinderella.

They first met when they starred together in Grease in London’s West End several years ago.

Former Brookside actor Ray shot to fame when he finished runner-up to Leona Lewis in the 2007 series of The X Factor and two years later he won ITV’s Dancing on Ice with professional ice skater Maria Filippov.

“Ray’s a good-looking guy. He’s got a terrific voice and dances very well too. I think he could very easily become the next Michael Bublé [Canadian singer and actor]. Ray, Emma and the rest of the cast were great working colleagues,” said Jimmy.

View a musical slideshow of Jimmy and his fellow panto stars on his YouTube channel.

Jimmy and his wife May have just moved house though they still live in Rochdale.

He explained: “We have downsized but only gone around the corner to a lovely cottage overlooking Healey Dell Nature Reserve.”

“The move means we have been offline for a while and have fallen a bit behind with our email and Facebook, but I can assure everybody that they will receive replies to their queries and orders in the next few weeks.”